Telavi Government is Putting Pressure on Student’s Union?

Telavi Government is Putting Pressure on Student’s Union?

“The situation in Telavi University might become out of control”, say the students of the same university. They say that the Government of Telavi and local representatives of the National Movement are putting pressure on the chief of the Student’s Union, and if it does not stop, the youth threaten street protests.

Most of the students will not make any comments. Some of them, who dare to make any statement, do not say their names. “If I say my name I am sure I will have problems in the university and outside it. I do not want to be in the fear of attack all the time,” explains a student.

Irina Jandieri, temporary care taker of functions of the chief of the Student’s Union, who is not afraid to notify her name, says that she is acting with the rights she has been afforded by the law.

“The Student’s Union is a non-governmental organization and neither the state nor the ruling party has the right to disturb its workings. After administrating the Student’s Union, local government and members of the National Movement have periodically put pressure on me. They want the Union to be built with the Nationalists, which means to a change in the Student’s organization Political Party. I think, and most of the students agree with me, that we are in the University for our studies and not for political experience,” says Irina Jandieri.

“We do not want a politicized Student’s Union. However, local government and Nationals try to influence students with false promises or black-mail,” says Ana Solomnishvili, a student.

“Being the chief of the Student’s Union is not a privilege for me. It is a great responsibility. I will not resign because I do not want the Student’s Union to be transformed to the Union of Communist style. The Government and the National Movement have their own “favorites”, who they wish to give the rule of the Student’s Union. Everyone knows the youth power and knows if they make popular the “ideology of Nationalism” among the students, they will be able to control the youth,” says Jandieri.

A politicized Student’s Union is unacceptable for the majority of the youth. “If it is needed, the state and the members of the National Party will see the real power of the youth,” declare the students.

Veriko Kobiashvili from Telavi